Folding coat rack



Nov. 2, 1965 A. c. BURR FOLDING COAT RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 17, 1964 INVENTOR. flla'vz C. 310")" United States Patent 3,215,280 FOLDING COAT RACK Alan Carleton Burr, East Norwalk, Conn., assignor to Howe Folding Furniture Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Feb. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 345,191 9 Claims. (Cl. 211-178) This invention relates to a folding structure which when unfolded provides bars, shelves and the like on which clothes hangers may be hung, and hats, suitcases and a variety of articles and packages may be placed. Such structures are frequently referred to as coat and hat racks. It will be understood that such structures may be provided with one, two, or more shelves.

The structure comprising the invention is adapted for use in homes as well as in checkrooms of clubs, hotels and the like. It is especially adapted for schools, banquet halls and wherever there is a multi-purpose area, requiring frequent shifting and substitution of furniture, as in gymnasiums which are frequently used for social gatherings as well as for athletics. Even where fixed facilities for checking are provided it is desirable to be able to quickly expand the checking services available on special occasions when the checking needs are greater than usual.

The subject device is also useful in private homes, as for example for hanging unseasonable and seldom used clothing in a store room or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a structure of the above mentioned kind which when not in use may be folded and stored away, thus saving space.

Another object of the invention is to provide structure facilitating setting up temporary check rooms as in armories, gymnasiums, clubs, hotels and private homes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above described kind which when folded will occupy a minimum of space, and in which the various parts will be tightly nested when folded, and which will stand on its own feet and may be readily moved without teetering or rattling of the parts.

The invention will best be understood when the following description is read in connection with the drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side elevation, taken on line 11 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a combined hat and coat support means.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a folding luggage support means, taken on section lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a detail side elevation, taken on line 44 of FIG. 2, showing how an end of the combined hat and coat support structure is detachably engaged so that it may be swung between its operative horizontal position and its inoperative and nearly vertical position when the rack is folded.

FIG. 5 is an end elevation, with parts broken away.

FIG. 6 is an end elevation taken on the line 66 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation showing the rack partly folded, and

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the rack completely folded.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herein, hat, coat, and luggage shelves, 14, 16 and 18 respectively are supported between end standards 10 and 12. Each end standard has no inverted U-shape and comprises the parallel leg portions 10a, 10c, and 12a, 12c, and the intermediate, horizontally disposed portions 10b and 12b re spectively. The lower ends of legs 10a, 10c and 12a, 120 are bent outwardly to engage castors c on which the rack may be readily moved in folded or unfolded positions.

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The combined hat and coat shelves 14 and 16 comprise a sub-assembly 20 which is pivotally supported at one end by pivots 22 and 24 between the upper ends of legs 12a and 120 of standard 12, below and parallel with the intermediate standard portion 12b.

The sub-assembly 20 comprises the inverted U members 26 and 28 which are adapted to fit between the legs 10a and 100, and 12a and 120 respectively. Members 26 and 28 are spaced apart and interconnected by bars 30 extending between the portion 26b and 28b of members 26 and 28 and comprising the shelf 14. There are enough bars 30, and they are spaced so as to provide a shelf on which to rest hats. The sub-assembly 20 may be described as an I-shaped cross member which is pivotally connected at one end to one of the end standards and which may be detachably engaged with the other end standard.

The bars 32, which are adapted to support coat hangers, extend between the legs 26a, 28a and 260, 28c respectively of members 26 and 28. Of course a single coat hanger bar or a plurality of coat hanger bars may be used. If two bars 32 are employed, as shown in the drawings, they are spaced apart to accommodate two rows of coats supported on hangers which are hung from the bars.

The pivots 22 and 24 are shown as pins which project outwardly from the legs 28a and 280 into bearings b provided for them in the legs 12a and 120 respectively.

The intermediate portion 10b of the end standard 10 carries the hook members 11 by the end of the sub-assembly which is remote from the pivots 22 and 24 and may be readily engaged to, and disengaged from, the top of standard 10. As shown the hooks are made of resilient material such as straps of spring metal and are positioned on the intermediate portion 10b of standard 10 so that their curved or hook ends can be snapped over the portion 26b to place the sub-assembly in unfolded, operative position, or sprung to disengage the hooks from 26b when it is desired to swing the sub-assembly down, as shown in FIGURE 7, as is done as a first step in folding the rack.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention a shelf 1.8 for luggage and the like is provided, supported between the end standards 10 and 12. Shelf 18 comprises two parts 18a and 18b which comprise the U shaped frame members 19a and 1%, the cross bars 42a, 42b, and the longitudinally extending fiat strips 34a and 34b, which are curved in the other direction around the intermediate portions x and y of frame members 1911 and 19b respectively. The members 19a and 19b are pivotally connected between the legs 10a, 10b and 12a, 12b of the end standards 10 and 12, respectively, by pivots p. The cross bars 42a, 42b are pivotally mounted between the hinge leaves 36a, 36b and 38a, 38b respectively, on pivots q. The hinge leaves 36a, and 3617 project down from opposite longitudinal portions of frame member 19a, and the hinge leaves 38a, 3811 project down from opposite longitudinal portons of frame member 19b, and the leaves of each pair, 36a, 38a and 36b and 38b are interconnected by pivot pins 40a and 40b.

Brace-link means 46a and 46b are provided, the outer ends of which are connected to the cross bars 48a and 48b, which are pivoted between the legs 10a 10c and 12a and 120 of the end standards respectively on pivots r, and the inner ends of which extend beyond the line of fold f of the luggage shelf to the shelf parts 18b and 18a respectively and are connected respectively to the cross members 42b and 42:: described above as pivoted between like hinge leaves 38a, 38b and 36a, 36b respectively.

It will be seen that the brace-link means 461: and 46b,

bers 48a and 48b respectively, coact to form rigid I members which are pivoted at their outer ends between the end standards respectively, below the folding shelf, and

are pivoted at their inner-ends between like members of the pairs of hinge leaves respectively.

When not in use the rack may be folded, to conserve space or for convenience in storing. Folding action is controlled by releasing the sub-assembly 20 from hooks 11 depending from the top of end standard and allowing the sub-assembly to swing down on its pivots. Since the sub-assembly is narrower than the distance between the legs 12a and 12c of end standard 12 a stop member 54 is provided, extending between the legs just above the luggage shelf. As illustrated stop member 54 is a cross bar curved or otherwise oflfset outwardly from the legs 12:: and 12c a distance approximately equal to the height of the sub-assembly i.e. the distance between the plane of the hat bars 14 and the plane of the coat hanger bars 16, so that the sub-assembly 20 will not prevent the lower ends of the end standards from being spaced apart sufficiently for the structure to stand in folded position. To provide clearance for the lower end of sub-assembly 20 the brace-link members 46a and 46b are bent outwardly at an angle adjacent their lower ends.

The leaves of the pairs of hinge leaves 36a, 38a are shaped so that they contact one another in a folded position which will insure that the lower ends of the standards Will still bespaced apart enough to provide a firm support without any tendency of the folded rack to tip over.

The luggage shelf folds upwardly, and in folded position the end standards diverge only slightly from the planes of the luggage shelf parts respectively and the subassembly 20 is confined between the luggage shelf part 18band the stop member 54. The parts are thus closely related in folded position and confined to prevent teetering or rattling of the parts, as might otherwise occur, for example when the folded rack is being moved.

There has thus been provided a rack in which the objects mentioned above are attained in a simple and practical way.

What I claim is:

1. A folding rack adapted when unfolded to provide support for coats, suitcases, parcels and the like, comprising, a pair of end standards, coat hanger support means, and suitcase and parcel support means, the suitcase and parcel support means comprising, a two part shelf member, the outer ends of the parts being pivotally connected to the end standards respectively adjacent their lower ends, the inner ends of the parts being pivotally connected together by means permitting the inner ends to move upwardly into folded position, brace-link members disposed below the shelf and pivotally connected between the end standards andthe shelf parts respectively, the coat hanger support means being pivotally connected to one of the end standards, and means for detachably connecting the other end standard means to the other end of the coat hanger support means, whereby when the coat hanger support means is detached at one end it will swing down and the end standards may be moved toward one another and the two part shelf folded upwardly, with the lower end of the coat hanger support means disposed between the folding shelf andan end standard.

2. A folding rack adapted when unfolded to provide support for coats, hats, parcels and the like, comprising, a plurality of standards, and a plurality' of cross members supported between said standards, at least one-cross member being a shelf comprising, two parts hinged together at their inner ends for folding action, and pivotally connected at their outer ends to the standards respectively, and links disposed below the member and interconnecting the parts of the folding member with the standards respectively, at least one nonfolding cross member being an I-member pivotally connected at one end to one of said standards, and means fordetachably engaging the other end of the nonfolding cross member to the other of said standards.

3. A folding clothes rack comprising, a pair of end standards, a folding two part shelf interconnecting the end standards, the inner ends of the shelf parts being hinged together and adapted to fold upwardly, and the outer ends of the shelf parts being pivotally connected to the standards respectively, brace-link means pivotally connected at their outer ends to the end standards respectively below the shelf and extending inwardly across the line of fold of the shelf and pivotally connected at their inner ends to the under surface of the shelf parts respectively beyond the line of fold, and coat hanger support means pivotally connected at one end to one of said standards and means carried by the other of said standards for detachably engaging the other end of said coat hanger support means.

4. A folding rack adapted when unfolded to provide support for coats, hats, parcels and the like, comprising, a plurality of standards, and a plurality of cross members supported between said standards, each standard comprising a plurality of legs disposed at right angles to the cross members, one cross member being a non-folding member pivotally connected at one end to one of said standards, and means for detachably engaging the other end of the member to the other of said standards, said member comprising laterally extending portions as well as a plurality of longitudinally extending portions, the length of the laterally extending portions being proportioned with respect to the spread between the legs-of a standard to permit the free end of the non-folding member to swing between the legs of one standard when the member is disengaged from the other standard and another cross member which is a shelf comprising two parts hinged together at their inner ends for folding action, the parts being connected at their outer ends to the standards respectively, and folding links disposed below the shelf and interconnecting the parts of the folding shelf with the standards respectively, below the shelf.

5. A folding rack adapted when unfolded to provide support for coats, hats, parcels and the like, comprising a plurality of standards, a non-folding cross member supported between said standards, each standard comprising a plurality of legs disposed at right angles to the cross members, means pivotally mounting said cross member on one of said supports, and means for detachably engaging the other end of said cross member to the other of said standards, said non-folding cross member comprising laterally extending portions as well as a plurality of longitudinally extendingportions, the length of the laterally extending portions being proportioned with respect to the spread between the legs of a standard to permit the free end of the non-folding member to swing between the legs of one standard when the non-folding member is disengaged from the other standard.

6. A folding rack adapted when unfolded to provide support for coats, hats, parcels and the like, comprising, a plurality of inverted U-shaped standards, and I-shaped cross member supported between said standards, a second cross member which is a shelf comprising two parts hinged together at their inner ends for folding action and pivotally connected at their outer ends to the standards, respectively, and links disposed below the shelf and interconnecting the parts of the folding shelf with the standards respectively, and I-shaped cross members being pivotally connected at one end to one of said standards, means for detachably engaging the other end of the I-shaped cross member to the other of said standards, said I-shaped cross member comprising a second pair of inverted U-members one of which is pivotally mountedbetween the legs of one of the U-shaped standards, and a plurality of longitudinal bars extending between the inverted U-members of said second pair of inverted U-members.

7. A folding rack adapted when unfolded to provide support for coats, hats, parcels and the like, comprising, a plurality of standards. and. a plurality of cross members supported between said standards, one cross member being a shelf comprising, two parts hinged together at their inner ends for folding action, and pivotally connected at their outer ends to the standards respectively, and links disposed below the shelf and interconnecting the parts of the folding shelf with the standards respectively, and another cross member which is an I-member, means for pivotally connecting it at one end to one of said standards, and means for detachably engaging the other end of the I-member to the other of said standards.

8. A folding clothes rack comprising, a pair of end standards spaced apart and joined together by a two part shelf, the inner ends of the shelf parts being hinged together and adapted to fold upwardly, and the outer ends of the shelf parts being pivotally connected to the standards respectively, coat hanger support means pivotally connected at one end to one of said standards, means for detachably engaging the other end of the coat hanger support to the other of said end standards, the coat hanger support and the folding shelf being proportioned so that when detached at one end the coat hanger support will swing down and be disposed between the upwardly extending shelf parts and one of said end standards when the rack is in folded position, the coat hanger support means being a rigid I-member comprising at least one longitudinal bar and two cross bars adjacent the respective ends of the longitudinal bar, brace-link means pivotally mounted at their outer ends to the end standards respectively below the shelf and extending inwardly across the line of fold of the shelf and pivotally connected at their inner ends to the lower surface of the shelf parts respectively belong the line of fold.

9. A folding clothes rack comprising, a pair of end standards spaced apart and joined together by a two part shelf, the inner ends of the shelf parts being hinged together and adapted to fold upwardly, and the outer ends of the shelf parts being pivotally connected to the standards respectively, coat hanger support means pivotally connected at one end to one of said standards, means for detachably engaging the other end of the coat hanger support to the other of said end standards, the coat hanger support and the folding shelf being proportioned so that when detached at one end the coat hanger support will swing down and be disposed between the upwardly extending parts and one of said end standards when the rack is in folded postion, the coat hanger support means being a rigid I-member comprising at least one longitudinal bar and two cross bars adjacent the respective ends of the longitudinal bar, brace-link means pivotally mounted at their outer ends to the end standards respectively below the shelf and extending inwardly across the line of fold of the shelf and pivotally connected at their inner ends to the lower surface of the shelf parts respectively belong the line of fold.

UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited by the Examiner 982,477 1/11 Cavanagh 211178 1,008,477 11/11 Kohn 211-178 1,887,840 11/32 Healion 211178 2,274,772 3/42 Bitney 211178 2,748,955 6/56 Anselmo 211178 2,896,789 7/59 Sans et a1 211-182 3,071,400 1/63 Bellock 211-482 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 15, 280 7 November 2, 1965 Alan Carleton Burr It is hereby certified that error appears in the above'numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 65, for "no" read an column 2, line 29, strike out "and", second occurrence; column L, line 56, for "and" read an line 63, for "and" read said column 5, line 33, for "belong" read beyond column 6, line 13, after "extending" insert shelf line 21, for

"belong" read beyond Signed and sealed this 26th day of July 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents EDWARD J. BRENNER 

1. A FOLDING RACK ADAPTED WHEN UNFOLDED TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR COATS, SUITCASES, PARCELS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING, A PAIR OF END STANDARDS, COAT HANGER SUPPORT MEANS, AND SUITCASE AND PARCEL SUPPORT MEANS, THE SUITCASE AND PARCEL SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING, A TWO PART SHELF MEMBER, THE OUTER ENDS OF THE PARTS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE END STANDARDS RESPECTIVELY ADJACENT THEIR LOWER ENDS, THE INNER ENDS OF THE PARTS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TOGETHER BY MEANS PERMITTING THE INNER ENDS TO MOVE UPWARDLY INTO FOLDED POSITION, BRACE-LINK MEMBERS DISPOSED BELOW THE SHELF AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED BETWEEN THE END STANDARDS AND THE SHELF PARTS RESPECTIVELY, THE COAT HANGER SUPPORT MEANS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE OF THE END STANDARDS, AND MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING THE OTHER END STANDARD MEANS TO THE OTHER END OF THE CAOT HANGER SUPPORT MEANS, WHEREBY WHEN THE COAT HANGER SUPPORT MEANS IS DETACHED AT ONE END IT WILL SWING DOWN AND THE END STANDARDS MAY BE MOVED TOWARD ONE ANOTHER AND THE TWO PART SHELF FOLDED UPWARDLY, WITH THE LOWER END OF THE COAT HANGER SUPPORT MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN THE FOLDING SHELF AND AN END STANDARD. 